Heat exchanger



Jan. 10, 1933. s, gas-L 1,893,484

HEAT EXGHANGER Filed Ju1y"-26. 1932 {Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY.

Jan. 10, 1933. J. s. BELT 4 3,

HEAT EXCHANGER Filed July 26.- 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 10, 1933 iJNITED STATES JOSEPH S. BELT, F AMARILLO, TEXAS HEAT EXCHANGEB Application filed July 26,

This invention relates to improvements in heat exchangers adapted for general use to cool or heat various fluids, either in liquid or gaseous form.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an extremely simple and compact heat exchanger embodying a coil through which the fluid to be cooled or heated is adapted to be passed, a casing through which the cooling or heating fluid is adapted to be passed in a direction countercurrent to the direction of flow of the fluid to be cooled or heated, and means to cause the cooling or heating fluid to flow in a spiral path about and between the convolutions or spiral portions of the coil to aiford a maximum cooling or heating surface.

A further and more specific obj ectof the invention is to provide a heat exchanger of the above character wherein the Parts are so constructed and related as to facilitate assembly thereof, as well as to facilitate access to and removal of the coil for renewal or repair.

' The invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and artly in central longitudinal section, of a cat exchanger embodying the present invention.

Fi ure 2 is a transverse section on line 2-2 of Figure 1. U Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, of a modified form of the invention; and

Figure 4. is a transverse section on line fr- 1 of Figure 3.

' Referring in detail to the drawings, the

"" present invention constitutes a heat exchanger of the countercurrent or counterflow type including a casing composed of a tubular body 5 having end flanges 6 and closed at the ends by cover plates 7 bolted as at 8 to said flanges. On the inner surface of the easing'body 5, I provide a spiral vane 9 to cause the cooling or heating medium to follow a spiral path in passing through the casing,

the latter being provided near one end with a tangential inlet 10 and near the other end 1932. Serial No. 624,836.

with a tangential outlet 11 for the cooling or heatlng medium, whereby the spiral flow of the latter is facilitated.

Arranged within and axially of the casing is a coil 12 arranged wholly within the confines of the spiral vane 9 so as to be readily inserted or withdrawn from the casing during assembly or when making repairs. The fluid to be cooled or heated is adapted to be passed through the coil 12, and it will be seen 50 that the cooling or heating medium will be caused to flow past as well as between and in the general direction of the windings of the coil so as to afford a maximum heating or cooling surface. While a single helical coil is illustrated in Figure 1, it is obvious that the number of coils may be increased in any of several known difierent relations. The coil has straight end portions, and the cover plates 7 are provided with stuffing boxes 13 through which these straight end portions pass, whereby leakage of the cooling or heating medium from the casing about the ends of the coil where they pass through the cover plates Y is prevented.

A core 14 is preferably removably positioned axially of and within the coil 12 and provided with an external spiral vane 15 corresponding in pitch and direction to the vane 9 of the casin Obviously, the vane 15 will 0 cooperate wit vane 9 to more efficiently induce the spiral flow of the cooling or heating medium in the casing. However, by having these vanes se arate and in spaced relation with the coil 12 removably disposed therebetween, assembly and removal of the parts for repair may be expeditiously and cheaply accomplished. The core 14 may be supported in position in any desired manner, but as shown it has'its ends arranged in and 99 supported by sockets 16 provided on the 1nner surfaces of the cover plates 7 The end 17 of the coil 12 constitutes its inlet end, while the end 18 thereof constitutes its outlet end, as will be apparent.

The construction of Figures 1 and 3 is substantially the same, the principal difierence being in the form of the coil 12. In the embodiment of Figure 3, the coil 12 consists of a series of spaced spiral portions 19 al- 100 ternately wound from outside to center and center to outside to avoid the use of a multiplicity of coils where greater cooling or heating surface is desired for the coil than may be had by the use of a simple helical coil in a heat exchanger of given size. The number of spiral portions 19 is preferably not more than twice the number of convolutions of the vane 9, and the portions 19 are preferably spaced apart a distance less than the distance between adjacent convolutions of said vane 9 so that intimate contactof the cooling or heating medium with the surfaces of all of the spiral portions 19 will be had. The coil 12 of the embodiment of Figure 3 will be comparatively rigid and strong so as to present little probability of sagging of the coil when the heat exchanger is used in a horizontal position as shown. However, when the heat exchanger is used in a vertical position, it will probably be necessary to support the individual spiral portions 19, and for this purpose the core 14 is provided at intervals with transverse openings 20 between the connected inner endportions of adjacent pairs of the spiral portions 19, so that supporting rods may be passed through these openings to sustain the weight of the portions 19 and retain them in their proper flatly spiraled condition.

From the arrows in Figures 1 and 3, and those of Figures 2 and 4:, it will be seen that the heating or cooling medium entersthe casing through the inlet 10 with an in tial whirling movement between the convolutions of the vane 9 at the adjacent end of the casing, such medium then flowing around the spiral portions or convolutions of the coil 12 in a spiral path defined by the vane 9 and the vane 15. It will be further seen that the flow of the cooling or heating medium through the casing is in a general direction opposite or counter to the flow of fluid to be cooled or heated passing through the coil 12. The flow area of the cooling or beating medium is sufficiently large to permit it to pass rapidly through the spiral path, and the exposed surfaces of the C01l will rapidly exchange the heat.

While I have described embodiments of the invention which are at present believed to be preferred, it is to be understood that minor changes are contemplated within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

l. A heat exchanger including a casing composed of a body and removable end closure plates, said body having a spiral vane on the inner surface thereof, said casing having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end for a cooling or heating medium, and a coil removably arranged axially of the casing wholly within the confines of said vane and having inlet and outlet ends passing through said end closure plates to facilitate flow of a fluid to be cooled or heated therethrough countercurrent to the flow of the cooling or heating medium through the casing.

2. A heat exchanger including a casing composed of a body and removable end closure plates, said body having a spiral vane on the inner surface thereof, said casing having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end for a cooling or heating medium, a coil removably arranged axially of the casing wholly within the confines of said vane and having inlet and outlet ends passing through said end closure plates to facilitate flow of a fluid to be cooled or heated therethrough countercurrent to the flow of the cooling or heating medium through the casing, and stulling boxes on said end closure plates tlnough which said ends of the coil 3. A heat exchanger including a casing composed of a body and removable end closure plates, said body having a spiral vane on the inner surface thereof, said casing having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end for a cooling or heating medium, and a coil reniovably arranged axially of the casing wholly within the confines of said vane and having inlet and outlet ends passing through said end closure plates to facilitate flow of a fluid to be cooled or heated theret hrough countercurrent to the flow of the cooling or heating medium through the casing, said inlet and outlet of the casing opening through the opposite ends of the easing body tangentially of the latter for cooperation with the spiral vane to facilitate flow of the cooling or heating medium in a spiral path between the coil portions of the coil.

4. A heat exchanger including a casing composed of a body and removable end closure plates, said body having a spiral vane on the inner surface thereof, said casing having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end for a cooling or heating medium, a coil removably arranged axially of the easing wholly within the confines of said vane and having inlet and outlet ends passing through said end closure plates to facilitate flow of a fluid to be cooled or heated there through countercurrent to the flow of the cooling or heating medium through the easing, and a core reinovably arranged axially of the casing within the coil and having an external spiral vane corresponding in itch and direction substantially to that o the vane on the inner surface of the casing body.

5. A heat exchanger including a casing composed of a body and removable and closure plates, said body having a spiral vane on the inner surface thereof, said casing having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end for a cooling or heating medium, a coil removably arranged axially of the casing wholly within the confines of said vane and having inlet and outlet ends passing through said end closure plates to facilitate flow of a fluid to be cooled or heated therethrough countercurrent to the flow of the cooling or heating medium through the casing, and a core removablyarranged axially of the casing within the coil and having an external spiral vane corresponding in itch and direction substantially to that o the vane on the inner surface of the casing body, said coil having a series of spaced flat iral portions alternately wound from outsi e to center and from. center to outside so that said spiral portions are connected in communication with each other in pairs at the center, 5 said core having transverse openings at intervals and at points between t e connections between the centers of said pairs of s iral portions of the coil, whereby support 0 the pairs of spiral coil portions may be facili- 2Q tated when the heat exchanger is used in a vertical position. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOSEPH S; BELT. 

